My Confession Amplified Bible
10-12
I am a capable,
intelligent and virtuous woman. My husband trusts in me confidently and
relies on me and believes in me securely, so that he has no lack of honest
gain or need of dishonest spoil. I comfort, encourage, and do him only good
as long as there is life within me.
13-14 I seek out work with willing hands to develop it.
15 I rise while it is still night and pray over my
household making tremendous power of God available to them to choose.
16 I do not accept more responsibilities and duties
by neglecting my present duties. I am prudent with money and sow my savings.
17-19 I gird myself with strength for my God-given
tasks. I taste and see that the gain from my work with and for God is good.
My lamp does not go out, but it burns on continually and drives out fear and
doubt.
20 I open my hand to the poor and reach out my filled
hands to the needy, whether in body, mind or spirit.
21-22 I clothe my children in love, kindness and
tenderness. I am always building myself up in the Word and developing my
"God clothes" so I can give them out to my family.
23 My husband is known and respected in the city, in the land.
25-26 Strength and dignity are my clothing and my
position is strong and secure. I rejoice over the future, knowing that me and
my family are ready for it. I open my mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom and
on my tongue is the law of kindness, giving counsel and instruction.
27 I look well to how things go in my household, and
the bread of idleness, gossip, discontent, and self-pity are not entered into
or tolerated.
28-29 My children rise up and call me blessed, happy,
fortunate, and to be envied. My husband boasts of and praises me and says
that I excel in virtue and strength of character and that I am steadfast in
goodness.
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10 A
capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find
her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
11 The
heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely,
so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.
12 She
comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is
life within her.
13 She
seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].
14 She
is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household’s
food from a far [country].
15 She
rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and
assigns her maids their tasks.
16 She
considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not
courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her
savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
17 She
girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her
God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.
18 She
tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and
for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through
the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and
distrust].
19 She
lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She
opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the
needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].
21 She
fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed
in scarlet.
22 She
makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of
linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of
which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were
made].
23 Her
husband is known in the [city’s] gates, when he sits among the elders of the
land.
24 She
makes fine linen garments and leads others to buy them; she delivers to
the merchants girdles [or sashes that free one up for service].
25 Strength
and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she
rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she
and her family are in readiness for it]!
26 She
opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of
kindness [giving counsel and instruction].
27 She
looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness
(gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.
28 Her
children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied);
and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying],
29 Many
daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that
is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all.
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